It’s been a number of years since my parents died: nearly ten for my dad and about three for my mother. I’ve read a plethora of stories about people seeing their loved ones in a dream, shortly after their passing. In the dream the departed person reassures the grieving dreamer that they are now in a ‘better place’, or they express once more their eternal devotion, or they reveal where the family jewels are hidden. I half expected the same would happen for me. It never did. All these years I’ve remained un-visited…until now.

For the last two nights I’ve dreamed of my parents. In the first dream, they came to stay with us for a couple of days. We took them on a drive out to my friend’s house, in the mid-north of South Australia. Dad particularly enjoyed seeing the historical sites. Mother liked the rolling hills and the occasional glimpse of a kangaroo. They both enjoyed eating at my son-in-law’s bakery. We had a happy day together.

For deceased people, they both looked well. Mum was back in her right mind – no sign of dementia – and Dad could hear perfectly without his hearing aid. They didn’t leave any significant message; obviously the family jewels must remain hidden. On reflection, it’s disappointing that they both looked the age they were when they died. I hope it doesn’t mean that we spend eternity being old. If that’s the case, I’m rethinking my aim to make it to 100!

Last night I dreamed The Old Boy and I were in the back yard of my childhood home. My dad had died but my mother was still living. However, we had to prepare the place for sale as she couldn’t stay there any more. She remained inside the house, while we looked around. I was appalled at the state of the garden. Just about everything was dead. The plum tree was so dessicated a branch snapped off as I walked past. The flowers were black, shrivelled up wisps of dead foliage. I said, ‘This is terrible. Dad used to work so hard keeping this garden healthy, tidy and weed free. He’d be devastated to see it like this.’ It used to have fruit trees, flowers, some vegetables and green lawn but now it was a blackened wasteland.

Then I dreamed I was driving home. I saw two men fighting in the street. One fell down in the middle of the roadway. I drove past, but I could see the fellow didn’t get up and it wasn’t safe for him to stay there. I pulled over. As I looked in the rearview mirror I saw The Wonder Dog running up the road. I’d left him behind! I went to help the fellow up, and then put Rex in the car. The poor lad has already been abandoned once in his life. I felt so bad about forgetting him that I actually woke up, went looking for him (he’d gone outside for a wee – yay!) and gave him a big hug. He seemed a little startled, but lapped it up.

Okay, dream-interpreters, have at it!
PS I’d blame the medication but the dreams started before I had the monthly jab in the gut and, no, I didn’t eat pizza before going to bed.